She arranged a fundraising cabaret for a Methodist Church, where she did her first public performance when she was 15 years old. Educate, entertain, and engage with Factmonster. Katherine Dunham Biography - Facts, Childhood, Family Life & Achievements Mae C. Jemison: First African American Female Astronaut - Biography [8], Despite her choosing dance, Dunham often voiced recognition of her debt to the discipline: "without [anthropology] I don't know what I would have done.In anthropology, I learned how to feel about myself in relation to other people. Dunham Technique was created by Katherine Dunham, a legend in the worlds of dance and anthropology. This was followed by television spectaculars filmed in London, Buenos Aires, Toronto, Sydney, and Mexico City. Example. The show created a minor controversy in the press. A photographic exhibit honoring her achievements, entitled Kaiso! There, he ran a dry cleaning business in a place mostly occupied by white people. forming a powerful personal. Her father, Albert Millard Dunham, was a descendant of slaves from West Africa and Madagascar. [5] Along with the Great Migration, came White flight and her aunt Lulu's business suffered and ultimately closed as a result. Question 2. While in Haiti, she hasn't only studied Vodun rituals, but also participated and became a mambo, female high priest in the Vodun religion. When she was not performing, Dunham and Pratt often visited Haiti for extended stays. A carriage house on the grounds is to . Katherine Dunham (1909-2006) brought African dance aesthetics to the United States, forever influencing modern and jazz dance. Leverne Backstrom, president of the board of the Katherine Dunham Centers for Arts and Humanities, still does. [49] In fact, that ceremony was not recognized as a legal marriage in the United States, a point of law that would come to trouble them some years later. . It was not a success, closing after only eight performances. While a student at the University of Chicago, Dunham also performed as a dancer, ran a dance school, and earned an early bachelor's degree in anthropology. 52 Copy quote. Example. Died On : May 21, 2006. On one of these visits, during the late 1940s, she purchased a large property of more than seven hectares (approximately 17.3 acres) in the Carrefours suburban area of Port-au-Prince, known as Habitation Leclerc. Dancer, anthropologist, social worker, activist, author. Dunham Company member Dana McBroom-Manno was selected as a featured artist in the show, which played on the Music Fair Circuit. Over the years Katherine Dunham has received scores of special awards, including more than a dozen honorary doctorates from various American universities. Katherine Dunham : Dance and the African Diaspora - Google Books Katherine Dunham is credited Her dance troupe in venues around. As this show continued its run at the Windsor Theater, Dunham booked her own company in the theater for a Sunday performance. Dunham saved the day by arranging for the company to be paid to appear in a German television special, Karibische Rhythmen, after which they returned to the United States. Dunham accepted a position at Southern Illinois University in East St. Louis in the 1960s. She made national headlines by staging a hunger strike to protest the U.S. governments repatriation policy for Haitian immigrants. Legendary dancer, choreographer and anthropologist Katherine Dunham was born June 22, 1909, to an African American father and French-Canadian mother who died when she was young. Dunham is a ventriloquist comedian and uses seven different puppets in his act, known by his fans as the "suitcase posse." His first Comedy Central Presents special premiered in 2003. [14] For example, she was highly influenced both by Sapir's viewpoint on culture being made up of rituals, beliefs, customs and artforms, and by Herkovits' and Redfield's studies highlighting links between African and African American cultural expression. She died a month before her 97th birthday.[53]. 4 (December 2010): 640642. Katherine Dunham (1909-2006) is revered as one of the great pillars of American dance history. This led to a custody battle over Katherine and her brother, brought on by their maternal relatives. The Dunham Technique Ballet African Dancing Her favorite color was platinum Caribbean Dancing Her favorite food was Filet of Sole How she started out Ballet African Dance Caribbean Dance The Dunham Technique wasn't so much as a technique so In the mid-1950s, Dunham and her company appeared in three films: Mambo (1954), made in Italy; Die Grosse Starparade (1954), made in Germany; and Msica en la Noche (1955), made in Mexico City. Regarding her impact and effect he wrote: "The rise of American Negro dance commenced when Katherine Dunham and her company skyrocketed into the Windsor Theater in New York, from Chicago in 1940, and made an indelible stamp on the dance world Miss Dunham opened the doors that made possible the rapid upswing of this dance for the present generation." ", "Dunham's European success led to considerable imitation of her work in European revues it is safe to say that the perspectives of concert-theatrical dance in Europe were profoundly affected by the performances of the Dunham troupe. International Ladies' Garment Workers Union, First Pan-African World Festival of Negro Arts, National Museum of Dance's Mr. & Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney Hall of Fame, "Katherine Dunham | African American dancer, choreographer, and anthropologist", "Timeline: The Katherine Dunham Collection at the Library of Congress (Performing Arts Encyclopedia, The Library of Congress)", "Special Presentation: Katherine Dunham Timeline". Katherine Dunham | YourDictionary [13] University of Chicago's anthropology department was fairly new and the students were still encouraged to learn aspects of sociology, distinguishing it from other anthropology departments in the US that focused almost exclusively on non-Western peoples. She decided to live for a year in relative isolation in Kyoto, Japan, where she worked on writing memoirs of her youth. [21] This style of participant observation research was not yet common within the discipline of anthropology. All rights reserved. Katherine Dunham is the inventor of the Dunham technique and a renowned dancer and choreographer of African-American descent. He was only one of a number of international celebrities who were Dunham's friends. Based on her research in Martinique, this three-part performance integrated elements of a Martinique fighting dance into American ballet. Katherine Dunham | Smithsonian Institution [37] One historian noted that "during the course of the tour, Dunham and the troupe had recurrent problems with racial discrimination, leading her to a posture of militancy which was to characterize her subsequent career."[38]. Dunham's mother, Fanny June Dunham (ne Taylor), who was of mixed French-Canadian and Native American heritage. Her legacy was far-reaching, both in dance and her cultural and social work. Dunham had been invited to stage a new number for the popular, long-running musical revue Pins and Needles 1940, produced by the International Ladies' Garment Workers Union. "Hoy programa extraordinario y el sbado dos estamos nos ofrece Katherine Dunham,", Constance Valis Hill, "Katherine Dunham's, Anna Kisselgoff, "Katherine Dunham's Legacy, Visible in Youth and Age,". American dancer and choreographer (19092006). Katherine Mary Dunham (June 22, 1909 - May 21, 2006) was an American dancer, choreographer, creator of the Dunham Technique, author, educator, anthropologist, and social activist. She . katherine dunham fun factsaiken county sc register of deeds katherine dunham fun facts [ ] Katherine Dunham was born on June 22, 1909 (age 96) in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, United States. In 1967, Dunham opened the Performing Arts Training Center (PATC) in East St. Louis in an effort to use the arts to combat poverty and urban unrest. Although it was well received by the audience, local censors feared that the revealing costumes and provocative dances might compromise public morals. The result of this trip was Dunham's Master's thesis entitled "The Dances of Haiti". Others who attended her school included James Dean, Gregory Peck, Jose Ferrer, Jennifer Jones, Shelley Winters, Sidney Poitier, Shirley MacLaine and Warren Beatty. Many of Dunham students who attended free public classes in East St. Louis Illinois speak highly about the influence of her open technique classes and artistic presence in the city. Digital Library. VV A. Clark and Sara E. Johnson, editors, Joliet Central High School Yearbook, 1928. In 1921, a short story she wrote when she was 12 years old, called "Come Back to Arizona", was published in volume 2 of The Brownies' Book. In her biography, Joyce Aschenbrenner (2002), credits Ms Dunham as the "matriarch and queen mother of black dance", and describes her work as: "fundamentally . Dunham had one of the most successful dance careers of the 20th century, and directed her own dance company for many years. She describes this during an interview in 2002: "My problemmy strong drive at that time was to remain in this academic position that anthropology gave me, and at the same time continue with this strong drive for motionrhythmic motion". About that time Dunham met and began to work with John Thomas Pratt, a Canadian who had become one of America's most renowned costume and theatrical set designers. In 1987 she received the Samuel H. Scripps American Dance Festival Award, and was also inducted into the. Katherine Dunham Helped Teach the World to Dance : NPR [6][10] While still a high school student, she opened a private dance school for young black children. After running it as a tourist spot, with Vodun dancing as entertainment, in the early 1960s, she sold it to a French entrepreneur in the early 1970s. American Anthropologist 122, no. The restructuring of heavy industry had caused the loss of many working-class jobs, and unemployment was high in the city. Dunham also studied ballet with Mark Turbyfill and Ruth Page, who became prima ballerina of the Chicago Opera. Genres Novels. Katherine Dunham: The Artist as Activist During World War II. until hia death in the 1986. About Miss Dunham - Katherine Dunham Centers for Arts and Humanities [10], After completing her studies at Joliet Junior College in 1928, Dunham moved to Chicago to join her brother Albert at the University of Chicago. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about him. [58] Early on into graduate school, Dunham was forced to choose between finishing her master's degree in anthropology and pursuing her career in dance. The Met Ballet Company dancers studied Dunham Technique at Dunham's 42nd Street dance studio for the entire summer leading up to the season opening of Aida. Video footage of Dunham technique classes show a strong emphasis on anatomical alignment, breath, and fluidity. Last Name Dunham #5. [36] Her classes are described as a safe haven for many and some of her students even attribute their success in life to the structure and artistry of her technical institution. The Black Tradition in American Modern Dance. While in Haiti, Dunham investigated Vodun rituals and made extensive research notes, particularly on the dance movements of the participants. The critics acknowledged the historical research she did on dance in ancient Egypt, but they were not appreciative of her choreography as staged for this production.[25]. The Katherine Dunham Fund buys and adapts for use as a museum an English Regency-style townhouse on Pennsylvania Avenue at Tenth Street in East Saint Louis. Alumnae include Eartha Kitt, Marlon Brando and Julie Belafonte. Dunham ended her fast only after exiled Haitian president Jean-Bertrand Aristide and Jesse Jackson came to her and personally requested that she stop risking her life for this cause. [12] Fighting for Katherine Dunham's Dream in East St. Louis [15], In 1935, Dunham was awarded travel fellowships from the Julius Rosenwald and Guggenheim foundations to conduct ethnographic fieldwork in Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, and Trinidad studying the dance forms of the Caribbean. Through her ballet teachers, she was also exposed to Spanish, East Indian, Javanese, and Balinese dance forms.[23]. [34], According to Dunham, the development of her technique came out of a need for specialized dancers to support her choreographic visions and a greater yearning for technique that "said the things that [she] wanted to say. At the recommendation of her mentor Melville Herskovits, PhB'20a Northwestern University anthropologist and African studies expertDunham's calling cards read both "dancer" and . Katherine Dunham Biography for Kids - lottie.com "[48] During her protest, Dick Gregory led a non-stop vigil at her home, where many disparate personalities came to show their respect, such Debbie Allen, Jonathan Demme, and Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam. from the University of Chicago, she had acquired a vast knowledge of the dances and rituals of the Black peoples of tropical America. 3 (1992): 24. Keep reading for more such interesting quotes at Kidadl!) In addition, Dunham conducted special projects for African American high school students in Chicago; was artistic and technical director (196667) to the president of Senegal; and served as artist-in-residence, and later professor, at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, and director of Southern Illinoiss Performing Arts Training Centre and Dynamic Museum in East St. Louis, Illinois. Born in 1512 to Sir Thomas Parr, lord of the manor of Kendal in Westmorland, and Maud Green, an heiress and courtier, Catherine belonged to a family of substantial influence in the north. ", Examples include: The Ballet in film "Stormy Weather" (Stone 1943) and "Mambo" (Rossen 1954). On February 22, 2022, Selkirk will offer a unique, one-lot auction titled, Divine Technique: Katherine Dunham Ephemera And Documents. Fun facts about Julie Belafonte brought to you by IDTC! Text: Julie She choreographed for Broadway stage productions and operaincluding Aida (1963) for the New York Metropolitan Opera. It was a huge collection of writings by and about Katherine Dunham, so it naturally covered a lot of area. 288 pages, Hardcover. 1. Decolonozing Anthropology: Katherine "the Great" Dunham American dancer, choreographer, and anthropologist. Dunham considered some really important and interesting issues, like how class and race issues translate internationally, being accepted into new communities, different types of being black, etc. [35] In a different interview, Dunham describes her technique "as a way of life,[36]" a sentiment that seems to be shared by many of her admiring students. movement and expression. Choreographer. Dunham, Katherine dnm . Katherine Dunham Quotes On Positivity. The original two-week engagement was extended by popular demand into a three-month run, after which the company embarked on an extensive tour of the United States and Canada. A key reason for this choice was because she knew that through dance, her work would be able to be accessed by a wider array of audiences; more so than if she continued to limit her work within academia. A short biography on the legendary Katherine Dunham.All information found at: kdcah.org Enjoy the short history lesson and visit dancingindarkskin.com for mo. Dunhams writings, sometimes published under the pseudonym Kaye Dunn, include Katherine Dunhams Journey to Accompong (1946), an account of her anthropological studies in Jamaica; A Touch of Innocence (1959), an autobiography; Island Possessed (1969); and several articles for popular and scholarly journals. Later that year she took her troupe to Mexico, where their performances were so popular that they stayed and performed for more than two months. This won international acclaim and is now taught as a modern dance style in many dance schools. Katherine was also an activist, author, educator, and anthropologist. Charm Dance from "L'Ag'Ya". It was a venue for Dunham to teach young black dancers about their African heritage. The program she created runs to this day at the Katherine Dunham Centers for Arts and Humanities, revolutionizing lives with dance and culture. During these years, the Dunham company appeared in some 33 countries in Europe, North Africa, South America, Australia, and East Asia. While a student at the University of Chicago, she formed a dance group that performed in concert at the Chicago Worlds Fair in 1934 and with the Chicago Civic Opera company in 193536. (She later took a Ph.D. in anthropology.) Intrigued by this theory, Dunham began to study African roots of dance and, in 1935, she traveled to the Caribbean for field research. Born: June 22, 1909. Corrections? [60], However, this decision did not keep her from engaging with and highly influencing the discipline for the rest of her life and beyond. These exercises prepare the dancers for African social and spiritual dances[31] that are practiced later in the class including the Mahi,[32] Yonvalou,[33] and Congo Paillette. Dunham refused to hold a show in one theater after finding out that the city's black residents had not been allowed to buy tickets for the performance. In 1928, while still an undergraduate, Dunham began to study ballet with Ludmilla Speranzeva, a Russian dancer who had settled in Chicago, after having come to the United States with the Franco-Russian vaudeville troupe Le Thtre de la Chauve-Souris, directed by impresario Nikita Balieff. 8 Katherine Dunham facts. He had been a promising philosophy professor at Howard University and a protg of Alfred North Whitehead. Among her dancers selected were Marcia McBroom, Dana McBroom, Jean Kelly, and Jesse Oliver. Grow your vocab the fun way! [13], Dunham officially joined the department in 1929 as an anthropology major,[13] while studying dances of the African diaspora. informed by new methods of america's most highly regarded. In 1992, at age 83, Dunham went on a highly publicized hunger strike to protest the discriminatory U.S. foreign policy against Haitian boat-people. After he became her artistic collaborator, they became romantically involved. ZURICH Othella Dallas lay on the hardwood . Katherine Dunham - Author, Career, Childhood - Katherine Dunham Biography for the developing one of the the world performed many of her. Facts about Alvin Ailey talk about the famous African-American activist and choreographer. Katherine Dunham. In 1963, Dunham became the first African-American to choreograph for the Metropolitan Opera. Ruth Page had written a scenario and choreographed La Guiablesse ("The Devil Woman"), based on a Martinican folk tale in Lafcadio Hearn's Two Years in the French West Indies. Katherine Dunham, pseudonym Kaye Dunn, (born June 22, 1909, Glen Ellyn, Illinois, U.S.died May 21, 2006, New York, New York), American dancer and choreographer who was a pioneer in the field of dance anthropology. She has been called the "matriarch and queen mother of black dance."[2]. She returned to the United States in 1936 informed by new methods of movement and expression, which she incorporated into techniques that transformed the world of dance. Dunham early became interested in dance. The highly respected Dance magazine did a feature cover story on Dunham in August 2000 entitled "One-Woman Revolution". In 1938 she joined the Federal Theatre Project in Chicago and composed a ballet, LAgYa, based on Caribbean dance. Her father was a descendant of slaves from West Africa, and her mother was a mix of French-Canadian and Native-American heritage. Katherine Dunham (born June 22, 1909) [1] was an American dancer, choreographer, and anthropologist [1]. The group performed Dunham's Negro Rhapsody at the Chicago Beaux Arts Ball. On another occasion, in October 1944, after getting a rousing standing ovation in Louisville, Kentucky, she told the all-white audience that she and her company would not return because "your management will not allow people like you to sit next to people like us." "In introducing authentic African dance-movements to her company and audiences, Dunhamperhaps more than any other choreographer of the timeexploded the possibilities of modern dance expression.". She also developed the Dunham Technique, a method of movement to support her dance works. [54] Her legacy within Anthropology and Dance Anthropology continues to shine with each new day. Harrison, Faye V. "Decolonizing Anthropology Moving Further Toward and Anthropology for Liberation." During her tenure, she secured funding for the Performing Arts Training Center, where she introduced a program designed to channel the energy of the communitys youth away from gangs and into dance. In 1950, while visiting Brazil, Dunham and her group were refused rooms at a first-class hotel in So Paulo, the Hotel Esplanada, frequented by many American businessmen. USA. teaches us about the impact Katherine Dunham left on the dance community & on the world. Katherine Dunham: The Artist as Activist | Center for the Humanities 2023 The HistoryMakers. Her world-renowned modern dance company exposed audiences to the diversity of dance, and her schools brought dance training and education to a variety of populations sharing her passion and commitment to dance as a medium of cultural communication. Dunham also created the well-known Dunham Technique [1]. Why was Katherine Dunham called the mother of African American dance Lyndon B. Johnson was in the audience for opening night. Named Marie-Christine Dunham Pratt, she was their only child. The schools she created helped train such notables as Alvin Ailey and Jerome Robbins in the "Dunham technique." Death . Zombies, The Third Person, Intelligent Dancers, and Katherine Dunham Her work helped send astronauts to the . Dunham, who died at the age of 96 [in 2006], was an anthropologist and political activist, especially on behalf of the rights of black people. In Hollywood, Dunham refused to sign a lucrative studio contract when the producer said she would have to replace some of her darker-skinned company members. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. [5] She had an older brother, Albert Jr., with whom she had a close relationship. She did not complete the other requirements for that degree, however, as she realized that her professional calling was performance and choreography. Legendary dancer, choreographer and anthropologist Katherine Dunham was born June 22, 1909, to an African American father and French-Canadian mother who died when she was young. Dunham's background as an anthropologist gave the dances of the opera a new authenticity. She built her own dance empire and was hailed as the queen of black dance. Katherine Dunham, a world-renowned dancer and choreographer, had big plans for East St. Louis in 1977. Katherine Dunham Birthday & Fun Facts | Kidadl Facts About Katherine Dunham. Chin, Elizabeth. ", Richard Buckle, ballet historian and critic, wrote: "Her company of magnificent dancers and musicians met with the success it has and that herself as explorer, thinker, inventor, organizer, and dancer should have reached a place in the estimation of the world, has done more than a million pamphlets could for the service of her people. "[35] Dunham explains that while she admired the narrative quality of ballet technique, she wanted to develop a movement vocabulary that captured the essence of the Afro-Caribbean dancers she worked with during her travels. In 1978, an anthology of writings by and about her, also entitled Kaiso! Members of Dunham's last New York Company auditioned to become members of the Met Ballet Company. There she was able to bring anthropologists, sociologists, educational specialists, scientists, writers, musicians, and theater people together to create a liberal arts curriculum that would be a foundation for further college work. Childhood & Early Life. In 1949, Dunham returned from international touring with her company for a brief stay in the United States, where she suffered a temporary nervous breakdown after the premature death of her beloved brother Albert. It was considered one of the best learning centers of its type at the time. 7 Katherine Dunham facts. 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katherine dunham fun facts